Bill Belichick Doesn’t Like Quitters
December 15, 2009 – 9:05 am by timgunterRandy Moss has had a tough week in Boston. He was sent home Wednesday for showing up to a team meeting a few minutes late and the week ended with the hometown crowd booing him and people questioning his effort in the game against the Panthers. Was Moss hurt by Belichick’s decision to send him home? Of course he was but to say that he just flat out quit on his team is absurd. (Editor’s note: I think he quit on his team) He did however quit on addressing the media Sunday as he left the locker room early deciding to let his play speak for itself. I believe that Randy Moss is sometimes misunderstood. There hasn’t been much questioning of his efforts since his arrival in New England but as the year has progressed and not gone the way they envisioned it to proceed, he has been scrutinized and questioned. If the Patriots are to make another extended run into the playoffs this season it looks as if they are going to have to do it on the road and Randy Moss will sure to be a big part of it.
Bill Belichick joined WEEI in Boston with the Big Show to talk about whether the team was flat in the first half, whether he had a problem with Randy Moss’ performance yesterday, how Randy reacted to the disciplinary action on Wednesday, and the reason why teams can’t stop Wes Welker.
Whether the team was flat in the first half:
“No, not really. I thought we played pretty well defensively. We just missed some plays on offense. We had our chances there and didn’t convert a couple of third downs. Missed a couple of plays there. But I didn’t think it was a lack of effort. We just didn’t execute as well as we needed to. But finishing the game was real good. We went out there in the two-minute situation defensively and made the stops there and got the ball back, and then offensively, we ran the clock out running the ball, which was good. We practiced that and we talked about that all week. Not knowing what the situation would be at the end of the game, if we were ahead or if we were behind and how to play it. I thought that the last five minutes of the game was pretty well-executed. So that was good.”
Are you surprised at the comments from Carolina about Moss?
“I think I already had a comment on that. It’s pretty amazing that the guy is one of the most productive players in the history of the league…”
Whether there is any evidence on film of Randy that he can be shut down early?
“Didn’t take [Moss] long to get into the Miami game.”
Whether he had a problem with Randy Moss’ performance yesterday:
“Well, I think that every one of us out there...Every coach, every player, every offensive player, there’s always room for improvement, so I’m not going to say anybody did a perfect job out there, me included. And that’s the way it is every week. We can look at, especially any skill player, you can look at any one of them and find a guy that didn’t have big stats in a game and say, ‘What happened to him in that game?’ We can do that every week with every team. So I’m not really … I don’t think that’s what’s important. What’s important is we won, and we played well enough to win. Did we make mistakes in the game? Sure. Do we need to improve on things? Absolutely. That’s what we’re going to work on this week.”
Whether he was satisfied with Randy Moss’ play on Sunday:
“I think Randy’s been a good football player for us since he’s been here.”
Whether Randy Moss is frustrated at all with not being a big part of the offense the last three or four weeks?
“He’s one of the top receivers in the league, Steve.”
Whether there is anything he sees differently in Randy Moss’ play?
“I think our team wants to win. I think everybody wants to win. We didn’t win the two weeks prior to this one, and we won yesterday, and that’s what its about. Just playing well enough to win. So, that’s what it’ll be this week too. Whatever contributions we get as a team, if they’re good enough to win, then I think we’re going to feel good about it. But it’s not about going out and getting individual stats for any player. Pass rushers or receivers or runners or any of that. That’s not what we’re there for. We’re there to win.”
On how Randy reacted to the disciplinary action on Wednesday:
“Good. Good. I had a good talk with Randy, and really … As we all know, he’s one of our team captains. He’s one of the most respected players on the team. He’s one of the best players on the team.”
Whether Randy Moss is a victim of his own success:
“I think we all understand, and Randy better than anybody, that there’s a certain microscope on him, and he knows that. It’s always been that way with him. So this isn’t anything new. The big thing is every week is to come in, prepare, go out, work hard, play as well as you can on Sunday, come back, correct the mistakes and move on to the next week. And I think he’s very professional about that as is I feel that way really about our whole team that we try to correct our mistakes and move on and get ready for the next game.”
On the route that Moss ran:
“It certainly could have been better executed. I think Tom talked about it this morning.
How come teams can’t stop Wes?
“I just think by the nature of the position, we’ve seen slot receivers around here before, and we’ve seen some good ones. I think the nature of that position is one that has more variety in their routes, more options and different things you can do, and that’s, I don’t know if that leads to more catches. Probably less yards per catch, generally speaking. But more opportunities to work different types of routes from a position that gives you more space to work in. It’s just the nature of the spot.”
Tags: Bill Belichick, Did Randy Moss quit?, New England Patriots, NFL AFC East, Panthers players call out Randy Moss, Wes Welker
